| Feminism: The War on Nature |
Historic Fight
Throughout history, we have seen egalitarianism waging war on our worldview. Feminism began to rise in society around the time of the 19th century. A small minority of women stood up to defend their rights. As Gloria Steinem, an activist for women during the mid 19 hundreds once said, “We've begun to raise daughters more like sons… but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters.” (Stienem, Gloria)
What an encouraging message, isn't it...
This ideology has destroyed the distinct roles that God created for men and women, and it has undermined the family to create an equal relationship between the genders. This is not a unique problem; it goes all the way back to Genesis. God addresses the unique consequences of the fall to the serpent, to Eve, and then to Adam. We all know the familiar passage…
“On your belly you shall go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel..." “...Because you have listened to your wife… cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life, on your belly you shall go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life." - Genesis 3:14-19
We could spend pages here identifying the curse upon Adam and its effects in our modern age, but that is a topic for another time. What most of us miss is that when God addresses Eve, he doesn’t merely “multiply pain in childbearing” but he goes on…
"I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing in pain shall you bring forth children, your desire shall be for your husband, and shall rule over you."
The woman's desire to rule her husband runs deeper than just 1960s Second-Wave Feminism. It is rooted deep within our fallen hearts.
Defining Terms
Before we go further, we must define our terms.
Egalitarianism is the belief in human equality, especially political, social, and economic equality (Britannica).
Feminism is the movement that fights for Egalitarianism, and the destruction of Biblical Patriarchy.
Patriarchy is a male-led, complementary view of the relationship between men and women. The man is the head of his wife, and the wife is his helpmate. Patriarchy is male leadership and female submission, defined by their union in Christ. In other words, they are distinct in role and duty. (Britannica)
Throughout this article, if I address those pushing for feminism, I am referring to the minority of women in the 1900's who pushed for egalitarianism, and now the majority of women in 2026 who have followed suit. I do not mean ALL women.
The movement towards egalitarianism has sadly corrupted this relationship within Christianity, bleeding into family life and fellowship within the church.
Clarification:
Who are "they"? I am referring to the minority of women in the 1900's who pushed for equal rights, and now the majority of women in 2026 who have followed suit.
The Family
In the past 100 years, feminist ideologies have been surging through American families. Women's liberation has infiltrated and corrupted the natural design of God’s creation.
One thing this movement fails to see is that God created men and women with a nature that exceeds their roles. Their nature is deeper than just their outward appearance; it is the inward identity that God created them with. He created men to be leaders, to protect and provide for their families and the church, and he created women to be nurturers, to tend the home, raise their kids in the fear of the Lord, and serve in their church communities. Though some have pushed for outward equality, it will never change the inward reality of male leadership and female submission.
There is a desire to create equality between men and women. They see a "broad" canyon between the rights of men and women, and they wish to build a bridge over it. The only problem is that the canyon doesn't exist. It never has.
They push women to leave the home, abandon their children, and rebel against their husbands, then they wonder why we have single parents, millions of babies aborted, and the divorce rates through the roof. The consequences match up with the causes.
The Church
This corruption of the family has also leaked over into the church.
As Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 2:11, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” (1 Timothy 2: 11-12 )
This passage outlines the role of women in the church. Women are not permitted to take authority over a man within the church. They are not to read scripture in worship or exercise leadership over men, for that is not their nature. There are many more passages referencing this issue. Just to name a few:
Corinthians 11:2-9 “But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but a woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man: neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.”
Corinthians 14:33-35 “As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.\
Ephesians 5:22-33 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is
himself its Savior. Now, as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”
Colossians 3:18 “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
1 Peter 3 “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct.”
I think you get the point.
We have women entering the church, serving communion, reading scripture, "preaching," if that's what you want to call it.
C.S. Lewis made a unique argument against this; he wrote
“To us, a priest is primarily a representative who represents us to God and God to us. Our very eyes teach us this in church" (CBMW).
“Suppose the reformer stops saying that a good woman may be like God and begins saying that God is like a good woman. Suppose he says that we might just as well pray to ‘Our Mother which art in heaven’ as to ‘Our Father'" (CBMW).
“But Christians think that God Himself has taught us how to speak of Him. To say that it does not matter is to say either that all the masculine imagery is not inspired, is merely human in origin, or else that, though inspired, it is quite arbitrary and unessential. And this is surely intolerable: or, if tolerable, it is an argument not in favour of Christian priestesses but against Christianity."But in our Christian life, we must return to reality. We are not homogeneous units, but different and complementary organs of a mystical body. Lady Nunburnholme has claimed that the equality of men and women is a Christian principle. I do not remember the text in scripture nor the Fathers, nor Hooker, nor the Prayer Book, which asserts it" (CBMW).
I think Lewis made his point clear enough. God has made it clear how we are to speak to him. How can a woman represent God, who is "Our Father?" We now see where our fight should be aimed. We must stand up and fight for male leadership in worship. As Christians, we cannot permit the fight for women's rights to creep into the church and take away the roles that God set for men and women.
Through their feminist ideology, women have attempted to neglect their God-given nature and rebel against their husbands' headship. By pursuing their desires over their duties, they have dishonored their children, their husbands, their church, and most importantly, their God. They are the “helpmate suitable,” while the man is the honorable leader. The man brings honor to God by leading his wife, and the woman brings honor to God by honoring her husband’s leadership.
Don't Forget About the Men
This issue is certainly a hot one; nevertheless, we have a calling to defend what we know to be true. If Feminism is allowed to flourish, we as men have failed to do what God has commanded of us. That's right. Men. You hold the responsibility of leading your sons and daughters away from the mouth of the lion and into the arms of the lamb. Into a life of submission for women, and a life of leadership for Men. Teach them to honor the nature that God gave them.
Encourage them to do what God created them to do; men, be men; women, be women.
Encouragment
I hope my audience understands the importance of this issue. If we let feminism blind us to what is right and true, we have taken our pride and elevated ourselves over God. We have failed to honor our creator, who made us in His likeness, and we have defamed the image of God. Remember, He created you with a purpose, and that purpose is to glorify and enjoy him forever. How do we do this? Wake up, and fight for what you truth.
"The woman in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man." - John Knox, Scottish Divine
"The husband’s headship is not a right to rule, but a responsibility to lead his wife in paths of righteousness and love, even as Christ leads His church." – John Stott, British theologian
